Stay Strong
by NoxWillow
Summary: It is Lily's seventh year at Hogwarts and it is proving to be the most difficult of all. With Slytherins who hate Muggle-borns, a personal blow that could ruin her, and Potter who seems to be in there in the middle of it all, can Lily stay stronge?


Lily sauntered down to the lake, the mid September breeze blowing the fallen leaves off the ground in a swirling fashion. The lake was calm a quiet with some students milling around the shore. For a late Friday afternoon, Lily greeted the weekend with open arms. Seventh year proved to be the most difficult of all with mounts of homework piling by the workload and classes so complex, Lily questioned how she would keep her sanity. At first news of becoming Head Girl in the summer, a satisfaction only six years in the making had erupted in Lily. The hard efforts of keeping top grades in all her classes and performing prefect duties all through fifth and sixth year had earned her her respective position as Head Girl. But good riddance, if only she could say the same about Head Boy.

James Potter. Of all the eligible seventh years in the school - no, of all the seventh year prefects to choose from- how on earth did he land Head Boy? It was a mystery Lily could only wrap her head around. One she had at first refused to believe. Now Lily could not deny it any longer. She had quickly come to terms to accept James Potter as Head Boy within an hour of learning the news.

"_Summer was so brilliant Lily, I nearly didn't even come to King's Cross Station I was having such a good time!" Alice babbled on. Alice Prewett, Lily's best friend since first year was so involved in her story as they boarded the Hogwarts Express, she nearly missed Lily's dismissive behaviour. "Lily, are you there?"_

_Lily, who had now completely lost interest in her friends story, turned her attention back to the average height, brunette. "Huh?"_

"_Something on your mind?"_

"_Well now that you ask," Lily answered as they found an empty compartment and sat down, "You haven't by chance heard who Head Boy is?"_

_Alice tilted her head thoughtfully, gave a moments consideration and said bluntly, "nope."_

_Lily sighed and looked out the window as the last students were rushing good byes' to their parents before boarding the train. "I hope it's Remus. He was always so organized during prefects rounds."_

"_Yeah, he seems like a good candidate," Alice replied._

_The steam Engine moments later blew it's horn indicating the departure and the train lurched forward, picking up speed as it moved along. Soon after a couple minutes in thought of who Head Boy could be, Lily decided it was time to go find out just as Frank Longbottom joined their compartment. Lily bid them both goodbye leaving behind a blushing Alice and Frank to themselves._

"_Head compartment," Lily read on the door once she found the compartment at the back of the train. _

_Opening the door, Lily was greeted by a surprised and deep masculine voice. "Lily!" _

_Lily had to wonder if her eyes and ears were cheating her as the infamous James Potter stood up. A couple inches taller than last year and hair more unruly then ever, James broke into a lop sided grin. A look of alarm found its way to Lily's face, but she quickly changed it and let out a strained, "Potter, what are you doing here? This is the Heads compartment."_

_James look around as if to humour her. "Is it now? I didn't notice?" he said lightly. The look on Lily's face wiped the smile off his face fast and he became more serious. "Kidding, really. But yes, I know this is Heads compartment. May I introduce you to the new Head Boy!" he said as he did a little bow. _

"_You're serious?"_

"_Why wouldn't I be?"_

"_So this isn't some kind of joke?"_

_James seemed to flicker a look of hurt but quickly returned to his light manner. "I got the letter just two weeks ago, along with this," he indicated to a silver badge sitting on the table in the middle of the tiny room. "I don't really understand it myself, but you know, who turns down being a Head?"_

_Lily looked down into her bag of robes to which she was holding on to. Her badge just alike James sat at the top of the bag on her robes to change into later, mocking her._

"_Can't be that bad, can it?" James asked uncertainly, as if waiting her approval._

"_Sure," she mumbled. 'Sure, spending hours of the night patrolling with you, and being in your presence alone. And organizing events together, together with the one of the biggest prats in all of Hogwarts. How bad can that be?' she thought to herself._

_James seemed not to think to much at her stale tone and took her agreement as good news. "Brilliant. That settles that then!" He let out a breath. "So… now what?"_

_Good question. "Um, I guess we go patrol the compartments, confiscate anything that looks dangerous, break up fights, break up any public displays of affection, stop dangerous magic," Lily seemed to babble on, not meeting James's eyes. "What ever seems common sense really." _

"_Common sense, got it." Moving quickly past Lily and being careful not to brush her on his way out, James turned back and said quickly, "I'm really glad you're Head Girl Lily, you deserve it."_

_Staring at the spot where his head had once been, Lily opened her mouth to give some snappy reply agreeing how of course he wad glad to have her as Head Girl when he was Head Boy, but the comment died as it reached her lips. Something was strange about that comment. Something foreign that Lily could not put her finger on._

_Once locking the door to the Heads compartment behind him and closing the blinds in the windows, Lily changed into her school robes, carefully pinning the badge securely to her chest. With one more reassuring thought to herself that Potter would not screw everything up, she opened the door and moved to her first duty as Head Girl._

_After an hour of patrolling and only running into James once, Lily found it fitting for a break. As she made her way to visit Alice and Frank, she almost walked past a compartment in which James's voice made its way to her. Stopping in her tracks and pinning herself against the wall to remain hidden from the compartment's windows, Lily let herself eavesdrop, ignoring the wondering stares of passing students. _

"_She seemed to take it well," James voice came through the door muffled. Lily strained to hear him over the chatter of passing people. "At least, she acted like she did."_

'_Oh Prongs," said another male voice, Sirius. "Why do you even bother? She hasn't given you the time of day. That is unless she's calling you a prat, egotistical jerk, prick who's head is to big for his own good, or -"_

"_Thank you for those words of incredible motivation," James bit back bitterly._

"_Only here to remind you that Evan's doesn't care. If anything, I bet she's mulling over right now how this years gonna blow. No offence to you mate, I'm sure you're going to enjoy it very much. OW!" An indication the James must have punched Sirius very hard in the arm._

"_Don't talk about her like that. I'm trying with everything in me not to piss her off this year. If we'll be working together, we need to be on friendly terms." Lily found herself nodding to this but quickly stopped herself. What was he saying? Only last year, he had asked her out every other day and made it his life's ambition to embarrass her as he did it. Something had definitely changed._

"_Don't push your luck mate. This is still Evans we're talking about."_

"_Sirius, you're not helping here," A third voice said, Remus had joined in on the conversation. _

"_Someone has got to say it like it is!" Sirius seemed to be losing this argument._

"_I think-" but a fourth voice was cut off._

"_No Wormtail. This is what he needs to hear." _

_A deep sigh sounded and a shuffling indicated someone getting up. "Well this isn't going anywhere," James said sounded defeated. "All I can do is act civil and hope she returns the gesture, whether or not you agree Sirius," he added on at the sound of a protest._

_Lily took his statement as the time to move or be found. Quickly scurrying from her spot and determined to put as much distance from their compartment as possible, Lily had made it almost to the other side of the train cart before being blocked._

"_Going somewhere?" A tall dirty blonde Slytherin boy had put himself in front of Lily's path, both arms outstretched and holding on to either side of the small corridor. Two others were behind him, backing him up._

"_I have Head duties to do Mulciber, if you'll excuse me." Lily tried to push past him, but Mulciber made no move to let her pass._

_He gave her a dirty look before sneering. "I don't listen to filth like you. If I want to move, then I will." The two boys behind him snickered at Lily's expense._

_Lily bit her tongue back biting a remark that would only spark an argument. "As Head Girl, I'm asking you to move," her tone was cold but steady._

"_Is there a problem here?" James's voice came from behind Lily, who turned to see him walking up to the two of them._

"_I've got this Potter," she said sternly as she joined him. Two now against three._

_Mulciber gave a cold laugh. "While you discuss how Potter is going to fight your own battle for you, a word of advice Evans: You and any other tainted blood here should rethink coming to this school. It is, after all, one for wizards. Not Mud Bloods. It's a dangerous world out here for filth," he sneered before turning and walking back with his friends from where ever they had come from._

_Lily stood grounded to her spot. A fuming sensation had risen in her spot, as her jaw clenched in frustration. She turned around to give Potter a look that said if he bothered to mention what had just happened, she would bite his head off._

"_Lily, I, I'll rip his head off-"_

_But she held up a hand to silence him. "Don't bother. I can fight my own battles." She moved hastily to get away from him but James grabbed her arm. A sensation erupted through her where his hand held on but the anger in her blood conquered it with chagrin._

"_Lily, if he ever threatens you, you have a right to get help." His tone was austere._

_Shaking off his arm, Lily moved forward hastily before turning halfway and saying, "I don't need help, I can do this myself."_

As the first week had progressed, Lily had made it her mission to prove Mulciber wrong, to prove him that she did belong here. It was a promise to herself to stay strong.

_It is Lily's seventh year at Hogwarts and it is proving to be the most difficult of all. With N.E.W.T. exams looming near, Slytherins' who hold dangerous grudges against Muggle-borns, a deep blowin her personal life and a certain Potter who seems to always be in the middle of it all, it will take all of Lily's strength to get through the year._


End file.
